Coal-bunker



(No Modl.) 2 Sneak-Sheet 1.. W. G. CURTIS & J. D. ISAAUS.

GOAL BUNKER.

Patented Mar. 26

' (No Model.)

. 2 Sheets-Sheet). W. G. CURTIS & J. D. ISAACSQ I GOAL BUNKER. No.536,186. g Patented Mar. 26, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM'G. CURTIS AND JOHN D. ISAAOS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

COAL-BUNKER.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 53,186, dated March 26,1895.

Application filed April 27, 1894.. Serial No. 509,251. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM GxCURTIs and JOHN D. ISAAOS, citizens ofthe United In the drawings: Figure 1 is a cross-section of a' bunkershowing the valve open and the apron in position for use. view showingthe valve closed and the apron raised, and in dotted lines the apronlowered. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the chute showing the valve andapron in position to allow the coal to flow. Fig.4 is a side elevationin detail of the valve and apron. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of thesame.

Heretofore the flow of the coal has been controlled by means of asliding gate mounted vertically in front of the opening through whichthe coal is delivered from the bunker. By the raising or lowering ofthis gate the contents of the bunker have been permitted to flow or havebeen stopped. The principal difficulty arising from this constructionhas been in the increased necessary force required to push the loweredge of the gate through the stream of coal in stopping it, and in theliability which exists of the edge settling down onalarge lump of coaland becoming jammed, necessitating on the part of the operative to breakaway the obstruction or force the gate down until the lump is crushed.This necessity has given rise to the use of a pinch bar which is jammedinto the wood work above the gate,'to obtain sufficient leverage tocrush the lump, and this in time destroys the wood work and necessitatesrepairs. Other devices have been employed operating in substantially thesame way and under the same obj ections. It is the purpose of thispresent in- Fig. 2 is a similarvention to overcome these objections,which it accomplishes by the introduction beyond the gateway of thechute or pocket of an obstruction raised in the. path of the coal andforming with the upper edge of the said gateway a line of naturalinclination or line of flow of the coal, or other materials being thushandled.

In the drawings illustrating this invention the letter X designates acoal bunker of ordinary construction provided with a pocket Y andgateway Z. The floor of the pocket Y is cut away to insert the valve A,the upper side of which forms with the floor of the pocket, a chuteleading to the I apron B, by means of which the delivery of "the coal islocated. The said valve is provided with a shaft, A and is pivotallymounted in bearings, A which are supported on the frame of the bunkerand slightly advanced beyond the opening of the gateway to bring thehighest point of the valve, in closing, outside theupper edge of thesaid gateway. The valve A is swung on the bearings A by means of thelever A, which is connected to the crank, A, on the shaft, A by the rod,A

will be understood where the term natural inclination occurs in thisspecification that the inclination at which the material would cease toflow is meant. This it will be understood, varies in the differentclasses of material it is designed to handle by means of this invention.It is obvious that in the different grades of coal, from largeto smallthis angle of natural inclination must necessarily alter. The form inwhich this valve is shown in the drawings is that of a segment of acylinder, 0, pivoted in the center, and having a flat platform, A,extending from the upper edge of the wall of the cylinder toward thecenter. By the use of the cylindrical wall, 0, every point on thesurface of which is equally distant from the pivotal shaft, all dangerof jamming between the edge of the pocket and the face of the valve isavoided, as in its movement about the shaft, A every part of the surfacetravels in the same path. The distance from the shaft, A to the curvedwall is calculated so as to carry the edge of the curved wall above theline of inclination of the flow of the material after passing the upperedge of the gateway.

The valve, A, as herein shown, is counterbalanced by means of theweight, 0, to which it is connected by the cord, 0 after passing overthe pulley, 0 By means'ot this weight the valve is maintained in anyposition to which it is brought.

Swung on the same frame which carries the valve is the apron, B, whichis of ordinary construction. It is provided with the counterbalanceweight, B. This apron is so hinged as shown in Fig. 2 of drawings as toallow it to be raised or lowered. By means of this construction it isrendered possible to deliver under the roof of a box car and remove theapron to allow the same to pass.

Having thus described this invention, what we claim is- 1. A bunker orsimilar receptacle provided with an open gate-way having an upper edgeand a pocket,in combination with a valve at the end of said pocketadapted to form a continuation of said pocket and to be raised toproject its upper edge outside and away from the gate-way above the lineof natural inclination or flow of the material being handled,substantially as described, whereby jamming of the material between thesaid valve and gate-way is avoided.

2. In a bunker or similar receptacle such as described the combinationof a gateway having an upper edge, the valve, A, pivotally mounted inthe bearings, A and provided with the curved wall, 0, the platform, Aform ing a continuation of the floor of the pocket, the lever, A,adapted to rotate the valve, A, upon the bearings, A, to extend the saidcurved wall into the path of the material being handled to the line ofinclination of the said material when drawn under the upper edge of thesaid gateway, and the upper edge of the valve away from the said gatewayand suitable connections between the said lever and valve, substantiallyas described.

3. In a bunker or similar receptacle such as described the combi nationof a gateway having an upper edge, the valve,A, pivotally mounted in thebearings, A and provided with the curved wall, 0, platform A, forming acontinuation of the floor of the pocket, the apron, B, the lever, Aadapted to rotate the valve, A, upon the bearings, A to extend the saidcurved wall into the path of the material being handled to the line ofinclination of the said material when drawn under the upper edge of thesaid gateway.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

WILLIAM G. CURTIS. JOHN D. ISAACS.

In presence of- GEO. R. GAY, FREDERICK M. WILLIS.

